1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method and, more specifically, to a method of providing dynamic production material replenishment information via an internet.
2. Description of the Related Art
Manufacturing and assembly operations for a product, and in particular a vehicle, involve various lean manufacturing strategies to increase competitiveness and reduce related costs. One strategy includes synchronized delivery of parts to a manufacturing or assembly plant, where the plant maintains a minimal level of inventory. This requires close inventory control and frequent shipments from a supplier of material to the plant. An advantage of this lean manufacturing strategy is that the inventory of material within the plant is minimized and that material is supplied to the plant based on actual and predicted needs. Frequently, the material is received and moved directly to the line to reduce storage, handling and damage expenses.
In order for this type of material replenishment system to work, close communication between the material supplier and the manufacturing or assembly plant is necessary. In the past, the material replenishment system within the plant would assess the actual usage of material, such as a component part, on a periodic basis, such as once a day or once a week. The plant would then periodically provide the supplier of the component part with the actual or predicted usage information, allowing the supplier to adjust their production and shipping schedules accordingly.
However, this system does not provide for a quick reaction by the supplier to variations in the manufacturing schedule, since predicted usage is affected by various conditions, both foreseen and unforeseen, within the plant. To compensate, a supplier will frequently ship extra material to the plant in order to protect the plant from a material shortage if a variance occurs. As a result, the plant has to stock and manage the extra component parts until they are required on the line. This reduces the effectiveness of the goals of lean manufacturing.
Lean manufacturing relies on the communication of information between the manufacturing or assembly plant and the supplier. Advantageously, an internet, provides a mechanism for enhanced communication of information between the plant and the supplier. An internet, and in particular the Internet, is a global system of interconnected networks that utilize a standardized Internet Protocol (IP) as the network layer protocol. The Internet, also referred to as the World Wide Web (the Web), has become an accepted gateway providing a user with interactive access to information, and/or goods or services, through the use of hypermedia. As is known in the art, a user can access a particular location on the Web, referred to as a web site, using an address written in HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP). The content and format of a web site on the web is written in a computer language such as HyperText Markup Language (HTML), a computer language used to specify the content and format of a hypermedia document.
One effect of the explosive growth and acceptance of the Web is the advance of electronic commerce, referred to as e-commerce. Another effect is the expanding use of the Internet for transactions between businesses, referred to as B2B. An e-commerce web site hosted by a business facilitates the B2B transaction. Thus, there is a need in the art for a method of providing dynamic material replenishment information via a web site on an internet that provides real time material usage to enhance synchronous material flow through a supply chain for an assembly process.
Accordingly, the present invention is a method of providing dynamic production material replenishment information via an internet. The method includes the steps of tracking real-time usage of material used for a product, maintaining the tracked real-time material usage within a computer database on a local computer network and replicating the tracked real-time material usage on a global business network in communication with the local communication network via the internet. The method also includes the steps of providing a user internet access to a material usage information web site hosted by the global business network, identifying if a user has permission to access the material usage information web site and selecting a predetermined attribute of the tracked real-time material usage by the user if the user has permission. The method further includes the steps of providing the tracked real-time material usage on the material usage information web site based on the selected attributes and using the tracked real-time material usage by the user in replenishing the material.
One advantage of the present invention is that a method of providing dynamic material replenishment information on an internet is provided that allows a supplier access to real-time material usage information. Another advantage of the present invention is that the method of providing dynamic material replenishment information can be integrated with an existing material replenishment system. Still another advantage of the present invention is that the method of providing dynamic material replenishment information offers a supplier access to part usage data from multiple manufacturing or assembly plant locations. Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the method of providing dynamic material replenishment information includes web site security, so only the actual supplier of the material can access the part usage information for the material. A further advantage of the present invention is that it supports a lean manufacturing goal of having the right material at the manufacturing or assembly plant at the right time based on actual build information and not predicted build estimates. Still a further advantage of the present invention is that the supplier can manage their own in-plant material inventory and implement their own lean manufacturing strategies.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood, after reading the subsequent description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.